8 letters 1 word
by Bookie429
Summary: Bella curtis is the curtis brothers adopted sister. For a few weeks she has been hiding the fact that she has been diagnosed with leukemia . She refuses to tell the gang and she befriends her doctor. How long will she be able to keep her secret?
1. Chapter 1

"My name is Bella and over the past couple of weeks I've been keeping a huge secret from my brothers. Not too long ago I hadn't been feeling to hot so I caught a bus to the hospital and after a bunch of tests they said that I had leukemia. 8 letters and one word that had turned my world upside down. When I was little I was adopted by the cutis' and then two years ago my parents died. My older brother Darry now works two jobs to support myself and my two brother's Sodapop and Ponyboy. I know the only reason why my parents adopted me was because they thought they couldn't have any more kids after Soda. I am 16 just like Soda but he is still a couple months older than me so he acts like he is years older than me. I couldn't tell Darry about my cancer because he would just worry about me more and try to work even more so that he can pay for treatment for me.

"Get the hell up Belle or you're going to be late for school!" Darry down the hall to me. Ever since I was diagnosed I have been getting more tired and I've been eating less. I groaned and rolled out of bed, not wanting my brothers to get suspicious. I had found a place where I could sell my paintings and sketches for cash so I could pay for medication for myself that I had to take throughout the day.

I pulled on some shorts and a top and joined my brothers and the entire gang in the kitchen. Soda had dropped out soon after my parents had died so he could help put Pony and I through school. He was running around the house in only jeans asking if anyone had seen his shirt and hat.

"Hey bozo, try under your pillow." I snapped at Soda finally getting annoyed. I knew that Soda always put things under his pillow at night. Soda took off past me, causing me to spin and fall into someones arms. I looked up to see a smirking Dallas Winston looking straight at me.

"Hey baby, I knew you were falling for me." I rolled my eyes and stood, turning away so no one could see me blushing face. I may have a crush on Dally but he always thought of himself as my brother or best friend rather than a girlfriend. He always favored me over the rest of the gang, except Johnny because after all, had it not been for me, he never would have met the gang.

"Hey broad, how about I show you a real fun time." A voice offered from behind me. I could hear the boy following close behind me. He continued to follow me but after a while the only thing I heard was a car engine behind me. I turned to see a red mustang stopping and four Socs surrounding a fierce looking blond guy who was about my age with ice blue eyes. I knew from the moment I saw him I was in love. The boy tried to fight them all off but they were still closing in. I decided to jump in and I went for the biggest one. I jumped on him and kicked him until he went down and I leaped onto a different one. The blond boy had a smile growing on his face and he went for one. I went for my third one and I began to kick the crap out of him. The boys ran away, but not before I could leave an unfixable dent in the side of the mustang, and left me and the boy all alone.

"Hey I'm Dallas Winston. Please don't tell anyone I had to have a girl save me." He begged after introducing himself.

I laughed. I liked this guy. "My name's Bella Curtis. I wont tell anyone but people are going to find out that one of us was almost jumped and together we fought them off. I'll tell you what, if you bring me home we can tell my brother's that I was almost jumped and you came and helped me fight them off but you will owe me one." He agreed and we walked to my house together, knowing a new friendship had just blossomed between us.

The gang had all, been super worried and Darry and Soda had thanked him. My parents had immediately loved him and soon he became part of the gang.

To this day we are still the only one's who know what really happened that day and when my parents had died, Dally had been there for me. I still hadn't cashed in my favor either and I planed to save it for something important in the future. But I did always love to tease him about telling the gang the truth. "You're right Dal, I can still remember the first time we met. Maybe I should tell the story to bring back old memories." Every time I said something like this he shuts up . I grabbed my book bag and took my pills before following Johnny Pony and Two bit to school. I don't pay attention to any of the lessons, only to the clock so I know when to take more pills. I also work on some sketches that I can sell. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"At lunch, Dally came to pick us up for lunch because Two bit had detention. I always tried to spend as much time as possible with Dally but I had a doctor's appointment and I had to get to the hospital. "Hop in Bella." The boys coaxed me. "Sorry boys but you're going to have to eat without me, I have other plans." I walked to the closest bus station and waited for my bus. I knew the boys would never follow me but I was nervous that someone I know might see me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"I arrived at the hospital just before my appointment. "Hello Bella, how are you today?" Dr Francis asked me. "Fine. Let's just cut to the chase, I have to get back to class soon. Yes I have been taking my pills regularly, no I haven't told anybody and I don't think I want to yet. I still don't want to have chemo." I always did this when I talked to my doctor but he still insisted that I come in for blood tests regularly. "My only concern is that one of the boys are going to see my pills and think that I'm on drugs. And even worse, that they're going to try some of my pills." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""There's nothing to worry about, I'm sure you're capable of keeping your pills secret and away from your friends. Some other things I need you to do for me. No more smoking, less drinking, try to go to bed earlier and get more rest. Think about telling someone about your cancer and consider chemo again." I didn't know how I could possibly survive no smoking because I was the biggest smoker in the gang. I drank but not as often as the others. While we had been talking my doctor had taken my blood and gotten the results. "Your results are good. Your leukemia isn't spreading very much due to the pills. I wanted to tell you that I'm coming to Tulsa for a little while to visit my parents and I wanted to have lunch with you. Maybe you could show me around." Dr Francis' real name is Tristan and he let me call her that. She was only 23 or something so she was still young. I agreed to show her around because she's also a greaser. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""Deal. I got to run. I have barely enough time to get to school before lunch is over." Before she could protest I told her I'd call and I sprinted out the door. I had gotten significantly slower at running since I had gotten cancer but I was still pretty fast, but not as fast as any of the gang. I got to class just as the bell rang and I was in my seat before the teacher noticed my slight lateness. The rest of school was uneventful. "So Bella baby, where did you go at lunch?" Pony asked as i walked with him and Johnny to the DX. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""No where. Sometimes I just like to go eat one of the fields by the school." Pony may get good grades but he was completely oblivious to the fact that I had lied and told him a story about me doing something so uncharacteristically unlike me. When we walked into the DX, Soda was at the counter playing cards with Steve. Pony went off to watch some Paul Newman movie and Johnny went off to the lot. I sat at the counter tapping my fingers on the counter at a fast pace. I had called dibs on playing in the next game and I looked at the clock to see how long they had been playing. "Shit!" I swore. I was supposed to take my pills like 20 minutes ago. I reached into my bag and when the boys had both been turned away, I popped the pills into my mouth. Someone cleared their throat behind me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"An angry Dally was standing behind me. "What did you just put in your mouth." He said loudly enough so both my brother and his friend had heard. "None of your damn business what I eat!" "It is my damn business because you're my friend. You shouldn't be doing drugs." Dally shouted. I was glaring at him and I felt Soda grab my wrist. I whipped my head around so I could face him head on. "Do those pills Dally saw you taking have anything to do with your recent loss of weight over the last few days? Are you using drugs to help you lose weight?" I just stared at him. This would have been the perfect spit take moment. I blushed bright red. He had just embarrassed me in front of our friends. "No I'm not trying to lose weight and it's just a mint." I got up, grabbed my bag and stormed out the door. On my way out I was grabbed some mints from the counter in the DX. I popped one in my mouth just before Soda and the others came after me. "Let me smell your breath." Soda demanded. I leaned in and breathed my minty breath in his face. He turned away and muttered to the boys that I was right and that he was sorry he didn't believe me./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"I pretended to put it behind me and I asked if I could use the phone behind the counter. I frantically dialed the number I had recently memorized. /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Hello, Dr francis here. /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""Hey, I think you might be right. I need to see you." /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Of course Bella but I don't get off until late. We can't meet until at least 11 tonight. /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""That's perfect. I'm sure I can convince Darry to let me come. See you tonight at 11. Where do you want to meet?" /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"We can meet at the Dingo, it probably won't be too crowded because I heard Buck's having a crazy cool party tonight. /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""Yeah I heard about Buck's party and that's perfect. Gotta go now. Bye T." I hung up the phone and I realized the boys were all staring at me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""Who was the dude you /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;"need /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"to see?" Steve asked in a teasing voice. He just happened to say this when the biggest loudmouth ever, Two bit, walked in. "Oh my god! Does little Bella have a date." I snorted at the false accusations and I sorted through my phone conversation and I realized how they would get to that conclusion if they had only heard my side of the conversation. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""I'm not going on a date. I just need to go talk to a friend." They continued to interrogate me until steve and Soda got off of work and we walked home together. When we got home a I persuaded Darry to let me go to the diner to go meet Tristan, even when Soda and Dally told him not to let me go. We were watching TV when we heard Ponyboy scream for help. When we found him Socs were holding him to the ground. I ran towards them with my blade drawn and my lucky lighter out. "Get back or I'll burn all your hair off. The Socs didn't back off and I almost killed them with my blade but instead I went for no weapons and I began punching them like crazy. We beat the socs away and everyone was making sure Ponyboy was okay. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""Look Pony, I'm glad you're okay but I have plans. I'm going to meet someone. Got to go." I ran off in the direction of the Dingo./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Dally's point of view/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"I was so busy watching Bella run off to meet her mystery man that I forgot to invite the gang to the movies. Oh well, I'd just hang at Buck's tomorrow night./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Bella's point of view/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"I sat at a booth waiting for Tristan. While I waited I played with my lucky lighter, watching the flames flitter and flop. The lighter was a shiny black lighter with white angel wings attached to a heart on the side. Tristan came in the door and he looked very different without the work clothes on. Now he had his hair combed back with hair grease and he looked so familiar but I just shrugged it off. When he sat down across from me his eyes were on the lighter. Finally, he spoke. "That's my lighter." That was all he said before going back to staring at it. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Tristan's point of view/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"Bella was playing with a lighter and the more I looked at it the more I recognised it. It was the lighter I gave to the little two year old at my foster home that was adopted. "That's my lighter." That was all I managed before a name came to my head. "Bella Boo!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline;"Bella's point of view/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;""Bella Boo!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""What the hell do you mean this is your lighter? This is my lighter, I've always had it." I argued with him./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;""That's my lighter. I bet it even had my initials in the bottom of it." Sure enough I looked at the bottom and a small /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;"TF /spanspan style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"was carved in the bottom. "Why did you call me Bella Boo and how did I get your lighter?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"Tristan took a deep breath. "I called you Bella Boo because that was my nickname for you back at the orphanage. And you got the lighter because I gave it to you the day you were adopted." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"br /span style="font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"All of a sudden I remembered a name, "Trissie Poo." Tristan smiled and scowled at the same time, if that was even possible. /span/p


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"You remember! You used to call me that and it used to bug me so much." We laughed together and we ended up talking for nearly two hours. I tried to give Tristan back his lighter but he insisted that I keep it as long as I didn't use it to light cigarettes. I silently promised myself that I would try my very hardest not to smoke any more and I was actually considering the chemotherapy. We were still at The Dingo when I fell asleep on the bench. I felt someone pick me up and a bell jangling.

"Bella Boo, wake up. We're at your house." Tristan's soft voice whispered in my ear. I groaned and stayed where I was. I felt someone pick me up. Tristan must have rung the doorbell because I heard someone come to the door. "Hi, is this the curtis residence?" The next this I knew I was being handed off into someone elses arms. That someone else smelled just like beer, my best guess would be Two bit. "I love you." I mumbled and kisses the mystery person's cheek before drifting back to sleep.

xxxXxxx

I woke up in my bed with no memory on how I got home. I stumbled into the kitchen and plopped down on where I assumed the couch was. I landed on someone's lap and I just curled up. The cancer was really starting to get to me but I still forced my eyes open. I was curled up on Two bit's lap and he was smirking at me. "Good morning sunshine." He cheered. I felt like I had a hangover without the pills. "Now that you're awake, who was the guy who brought you home last night? Was he your boyfriend? Because if he is your boyfriend, he's too old for you." I laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know who he is but all I'm willing to give is a name, Tristan." Darry walked into the room. "I don't want you out with him anymore. He's _way _too old for you. He's like 23." I rolled my eyes at the two but I could tell that I wasn't going anywhere so I decided to exaggerate the truth.

"Fine I'll tell you. Tristan is like a brother to me. Plus, he's married and I find him kind of ugly." He wasn't married and I think that he is handsome, plus I don't yet consider him a brother again. That cooled the boys down slightly but I could tell they weren't quite fine yet. "Bella baby, I know you love me but you're going to have to get up." I looked up at him with confused eyes. "Aw, don't tell me you forgot telling me you loved me last night."

"Yeah yeah, those were just things I said because I was delusional from lack of sleep." A laugh came from behind me and I turned to see the rest of the gang behind me. I was surprised that they could keep quiet for so long. Ponyboy was the one to beat everyone else to the punch. "Lack of sleep? You sleep so much that you're asleep more than you're awake." I would have glared at him but I realized that he was right. It had to be an effect of the cancer. If the symptoms were getting worse then the cancer might be getting worse. I decided it was about time that I grew up and took the chemotherapy. I ran to the other room and began to draw as well as I could, as fast as I could.

I went to the kitchen and got some chocolate cake and at it with one hand and drew with the other. Steve grabbed my sketch pad. "Wow, some of these are pretty good. But I have a question, where do you put all of your pictures later on, because you barely have any in this sketch pad and you've been drawing and painting for years." I gulped but I had always known this question would come up eventually.

"I keep a few of my favorites that I keep in my room and the rest I just get rid of. Don't ask me why but I feel that to destroy is the best thing to do." Everyone looked confused. I couldn't tell them that I sold them because they would ask where all the money went and I couldn't let them see any of it because then they'd ask what I spend it on and I wouldn't be able to sell them. I painted a few of my masterpieces and went outside so the breeze would help the, dry. Dally was leaning against the wall and when I came outside he shrugged off of it.

"Want a cancer stick?" Dally offered. I was the only one he ever asked if I want a cancer stick. Everyone else has to ask the great Dallas Winston for one. I shook my head. "I wanted to ask how you even know that guy Tristan." I decided I could tell him the truth.

"I met him years ago, even before I met you, and we just became friends. I didn't tell any of the boys about him, because I was afraid they would steal him away from me. He was my friend and only mine." There was a growing silence between us and I noticed my paint was done drying. I changed into actual clothes and went down to the art store downtown.

The owners name is Mark and he pays me nearly $40 for all of my art. Since I buy my pills in quantity for 2 months I won't have to buy more for about a month. It would cost over $140 to pay for my chemo so I would have to do a whole lot more. I sighed and sadly walked home. I still had over $100 to go.

I didn't see anyone when I got home so I decided to call Tristan. He picked up after only two rings. **Hello, Dr Francis speaking. **"Hey Trissy, I thought about what you said about the you know what and I decided it was worth it. I know it'll be costly so I'm saving up for it." **You're going to have chemo? That's great news Bella Boo. Now that I have you back in my life, I don't want to lose you again. If you need any help, just ask me. I can help with the expenses. **"Please stop calling me that! I love you, but I have to say, I'm getting too old for that. Anyway, I'll see you later." I hung up the phone and I smiled. I couldn't believe he had been willing to help me pay for my medical expenses even though we had only barely connected again.

"So who is this mystery man that you love? Please tell me it's not Tristan." A voice came from behind me. I whipped around and standing behind me was Soda. I felt the blood drain out of my face, hoping he hadn't heard any of what Tristan had said. "Soda, Tristan is like a brother to me who I can talk to about things that happen and he can be impartial. We both know I have a crush on Dally." Soda chuckled but nodding. Soda was the only one in the gang that knew about my crush on Dally. Soda was the most understanding of my brothers.

xxxXxxx

The next day at when the lunch bell rang I caught a bus and was at the hospital in record time. I didn't even knock when I walked into Tristan's office because he had promised to be waiting there for me. When I walked in Tristan immediately took my blood for testing and we got to our conversation. Because we had grown closer over the last couple of days, so I didn't need to answer his normal questions. We just had a civil conversation. When Tristan got my lab results back he looked grim. Tears began to swell in my eyes and he just ripped the bandaid off. "Your leukemia is progressing, I'm sorry Bella." I couldn't take it. I went for the door and ripped it open. I almost knocked into a very shocked Dally.

**Dally's point of view**

I had seen Bella go into the office and i put my ear up to the door. "_Your leukemia is progressing, I'm sorry Bella." _ I was shocked. The girl I secretly loved had cancer. Before I could step back from the door someone ripped open the door and a teary faced Bella nearly ran into me.

**Bella's point of view**

My whole world came crumbling down. Dally would surely tell the rest of the gang and they would never think of me the same again. "I can explain." I blurted out, shocked to hear my own voice. Dally came into the office and I took a deep breath. "Dally, this is my doctor, Tristan Francis." Tristan stepped out from behind me and I knew he recognised him as my new friend. I began from the beginning, from the day of my diagnosis. When I finished Dally had become pale. "The gang is going to freak out when I tell them." "You can't tell them." I begged.

"They have a right to know Bella and I'm not going to take that right away from them." I suddenly remembered something from our past. "You are not telling anyone anything."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Dally, nearly 4 years ago when we first met I lied about which one of us almost got jumped and who saved who. When I did lie, you promised that in the future you would owe me and I never cashed it in." Dally glared at me but he knew he was trapped. "I'm sorry I have to blackmail you but I'm not ready for the gang to know my secret. If people found out, they wouldn't treat me the same." Tears began to roll down my cheeks and Tristan put a comforting arm around me. I felt like I could trust Dally with the rest of my past with Tristan.

"Dally, before I was adopted I was at a foster home. I barely remember it because I was only 2 but there was a boy there who was 6 years older than me and he loved me like a sister. When I was adopted by the curtis' he gave me his lighter that his father had given him before he had died. That boy was Tristan. Tristan had gotten many offers to be adopted before but he stuck around for me until after I was adopted. I still remember the day I left..." I smiled and thought back.

_My new family was there to pick me up and I was going to be moving from the orphanage to somewhere called Tulsa. I would have 3 brothers but I would miss Tristan, the brother I already had. I had been hanging onto Tristan's side since the day they had chosen me. _

_My eyes were red and puffy from crying all night. Tristan cradled me in his arms and pulled my up close to him."Stop crying Bella Boo. I promise we'll see eachother again." He whispered in my ear. I smiled because as long as I had known him, Tristan had never gone back on a promise. When he set me down on the ground, he placed something small and black in my small palm. It was his lighter that he always had with him. He had once told me that his father had given it to him when he had been on his death bed. "Until we meet again, keep this so you'll always remember me."_

"Wait, you were adopted?" Dally blurted out and I just rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure I've told you this and even if I hadn't told you, I look nothing like any of my family." Dally thought about it for a minute before nodding. "Bella, don't you have to get to class" Tristan asked my, concerned. Dally and I said goodbye before running out the door and into the parking lot.

Dally barely said a word to me since I had told him everything. he dropped me off in front of the school just as the warning bell rang. "Dally, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I just didn't want to be treated any differently, like I was fragile and broken, like I was dying." I struggled to hold back tears as I whispered goodbye to Dally. I was almost inside the doors when I turned back and ran towards him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. He shoved me off. "I promise I will only tell the boys if you say it's okay or if it's an emergency. You're my best friend and I know that if it was the other way around, you would respect my wishes." I smiled and Dally wiped my tears away. It was weird to know the great Dallas Winston had a nice side. I ran inside and kept my eyes trained on the ground. I drop into the seat next to Two bit. Pony was a freshman, Johnny was a sophomore, Steve Two bit and I were all juniors. Dally and Soda would both also be juniors had they actually attended school. It was times like this that I hated to sit near Two bit because he never stopped talking and joking.

Then my day had to get worse, I started to feel nauseous. I raised my hand. "Ma'am, may I go talk to the nurse. I think I'm going to throw up. I realized that with all of the recent excitement, I hadn't taken any of my pills in at least a day. I reached into my bag and pulled out some of my pills and shoved them in my mouth but it was too late. I spewed all over the guy in front of me, who just happened to be Steve. Steve was furious and had it been anyone else, he would have beat my skull in. The teacher dismissed us both but by that time Steve was already halfway to the door. I stumbled into the hallway and I collapsed on the floor. I just lay there throwing up on the floor and myself. Steve may have been angry but we were like family. He still cared about me and he knew full well that Darry would beat the crap out of him if anything happened to me when he could have helped.

Steve just sat next to me and lifted my head up and placed it on his leg. He stroked my head as I threw up continuously. I finally stopped throwing up long enough to mumble a few words. "Call… Dally… tell… find… him. Tell… tell… no one." Then I fainted and I felt myself drifting into the warm beckoning darkness.

xxxXxxx

I woke up in a hospital bed with a sleeping Soda next to me. If I had to choose a favorite brother I would definitely choose Soda because we used to pretend we were twins, even though he was a few months older, and we were connected at the hip, even more so than him and Steve were. I got up to go to the bathroom and when I came out a nurse was coming into the room. "Oh your awake. Your doctor will be in soon to check on you." She left immediately and I saw that Soda was now awake and smiling.

"Good to see your awake darlin'. I'll go tell the rest of the gang." As he left my doctor came in. I was surprised to see that it was Tristan. "Hey Bella Boo. I am going to be your doctor for this case because you have been seeing me for a few weeks. I believe your fainting was a symptom largely caused by anxiety, stress, and lack of medication. When did you stop taking them?"

I looked confused and then I remembered what had happened. I had fainted after throwing up all over Steve. "I just forgot to take them for a day or so. I'm so sorry but I've been distracted." Tristan didn't seem mad, rather calm. "I'm just glad you're okay. I better go before your friends come in and see me. I think it would be better if you told them I'm your doctor." I nodded and he exited the room.

I lay back on the bed trying to think of what I was going to say to them all. Ponyboy and Darry were the first to come rushing to my side, closely followed by the rest of the gang. "Are you alright? What did the doctor say?" Darry asked with worry seeping into his every word. I had a calm voice because I knew everything would be fine.

"Everything's fine. The doctor is only keeping me to do some more tests because he cares about me and he doesn't want anything to happen to me if he thought he could prevent it. By the way, about my doctor, he's Tristan." All the boys but Dally were shocked. He's a doctor and when he heard I checked in here he asked to be the examiner. Now, it's great to see y'all but I need to talk to Dally alone." My orders were followed by the gang. When they all left I grabbed Dally's shoulder. "Dally, I need you to get my bag. My meds are in it and if I don't take them I'm going to be in far worse condition." I could tell that Dally was scared. "I also need to ask you for a huge favor, I was wondering if you would help me pay for my chemotherapy to help get rid of the cancer." He just nodded with a somber face.

"Bella baby, I would do anything to help you fight this." He got up, gave me a kiss on my forehead and exited my hospital room.


End file.
